Story Room Global August 4th 2026

Theme for this month

Ageing Fearlessly

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About: Story Room Global at Bucketty’s Brewery

The ancient art of storytelling comes to life as six storytellers from diverse walks of life take the stage to share true, deeply personal stories. Set in the warm and friendly atmosphere of Bucketty’s Brewing Co. Brookvale, this unique event invites you to relax with a beer, enjoy a meal, and connect with your community. Expect laughter, drama, and maybe even a few tears as you experience an evening of real stories that entertain, inspire, and bring people together here on the Northern Beaches.

Check out the Bucketty's and the menu   

 https://www.buckettys.com.au/p... 
Please Note:  Venue will be open from 5.15pm allowing time for you to order a meal and have a drink before the entertainment commences at 7pm sharp. 

About Furry Friends

While Bucketty’s is proudly dog-friendly, we kindly ask that you leave your furry friends at home for The Story Room nights. As this is a private event, the space can get quite full, and in respect to our storytellers and the intimate nature of the evening, we appreciate your understanding. Thanks so much for helping us create the best possible environment for everyone involved.

Meet the Storytellers (in no particular order)

Crosbie Lorimer

Story Title- " Facing a Fearless Future"

About the Story:

A 40 year story that helped shape my view of a fearless future

By his own admission Crosbie lives life anything but fearlessly. Indeed, in his less charitable moments he describes himself as something of a sook! He’s never jumped out of a plane or committed to a bungee jump and he would avoid a rollercoaster ride at a funfair like a trip to the dentist. As a result Crosbie’s seven decades on this planet have been remarkably free of fearful episodes, with the possible exception of unwittingly finding himself in the heart of a fatal storm during the 1998 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Unsurprisingly then, Crosbie’s daily life has been hallmarked by a decidedly risk-free career in Landscape Architecture and a suite of activities and pastimes that would be most unlikely to land him in a hospital A and E. But, through recovery from a challenging phase in his early adult life Crosbie learnt to overcome the fears and anxieties around everyday life that beset him during his 30s and 40s. It is a road that has led him through his role as a Speaker for Beyond Blue to support others who live lives of fear in their own minds. Crosbie and his wife Dale also run a sailing media company through which they cover the stories of sailors who fearlessly tackle dangerous ocean races in various parts of the world – but always told strictly from the safety of land!

Jo Tarnawsky

Story Title- Living The Bonus Years

About the story:

Jo shares how a cancer diagnosis changed her perspective on time and what it means to age without fear

Jo Tarnawsky is a leadership strategist, speaker, writer, coach, and board member. She has worked at the highest levels of Australian public life, including as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister, a senior executive supporting the Governor-General, and as a diplomat across the Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Europe. Her work now focuses on how power really operates and what it takes to lead with integrity when it matters most. She writes and speaks on leadership, culture and accountability, drawing on both professional insight and lived experience. But beyond the titles, Jo’s perspective on life shifted after a serious cancer diagnosis which forced a reckoning with something most of us prefer to keep at a distance: the fragility of time. Since then, she has approached life differently and with a sharper awareness that growing older is not something to resist, but something to celebrate and honour. At Story Room Global, Jo brings that perspective to the stage, reflecting on what it means to age fearlessly when you’ve come close to not ageing at all.

John Knowles

Story Title-

About the Story:

John Knowles has been telling personal stories on stages at comedy festivals, conferences and corporate events for decades. He and sister Wendy run Knowles By Heart Consultants (www.knowlesbyheart.com), a Keynote Speaker and Storytelling Coaching company. John combines the skills and experience gained as a professional actor, writer, corporate facilitator and comedian tutoring privately, at colleges and events. John turned his love of meeting new people into his the successful communication program, ‘Mastering Conversation Skills’. He represented Australia in the World Theatresports Championships in USA and is regularly heard on ABC Radio with his storytelling segment called ‘I Can Top That!” John was awarded the prestigious Moosehead Comedy Award for his solo show, ‘John Knowles is Saddle Sore’ at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He is a 2020 winner of The Moth international storytelling competition in Sydney. John loves teaching the art and science behind brilliant oral story crafting and delivery. He is a single dad of four amazing teens, a slightly obsessive fan of the Montreal Canadians hockey team and the singer/harmonica player in the band The Urge Curve. That’s John playing harmonica on the Bluey Album

Vicki Haines

Story Title: " MiJoy Ride"

Vicki Haines is the embodiment of Ageing Fearlessly—bold, resilient, and fiercely committed to proving that reinvention has no age limit. Born and raised in Macquarie Fields in Western Sydney, Vicki grew up riding trail bikes and developing the grit that would one day carry her across the world. For decades, she lived a life centred on family, work, responsibility, and showing up for everyone else. Then came 2024, the year everything changed. Within three weeks, she lost both her parents. Her daughter married. The familiar roles that had shaped her identity fell away. At 62, Vicki found herself standing in a life that appeared fine on the outside—but inside, she no longer recognised herself. Instead of shrinking, she expanded. Instead of staying still, she chose the road. She bought a motorbike, packed lightly, and rode into the unknown—alone. What followed was extraordinary. Vicki rode 36,000 km around Australia in 200 days, and then kept riding across continents. In total, she covered 105,000 kilometres across the world, navigating deserts, mountains, snowstorms, backroads, chaotic cities, high-altitude passes, and days of physical and emotional exhaustion. She faced moments that nearly broke her—but each time, she stood up, kicked the bike back into gear, and continued. She rides for her granddaughter Bella—who calls her “Noppie”—and for every woman who has ever quietly wondered, Is it too late for me? Now writing her book Throttle the Thirst, Vicki shares her journey through grief, courage, self-discovery, and the radical decision to choose herself at 62. This is Vicki Haines: ageing fearlessly, living boldly, and proving that sometimes the road home begins the moment everything falls apart.

Clare Edwards

Story Title:

Clare grew up as the youngest of five in Liverpool, UK. While her mum busied herself with the four older siblings, Clare managed to spend precious time with her dad; and that’s where her love of storytelling began. Kevin Edwards was a gifted storyteller who could keep Clare enthralled (and quiet, which was a feat in itself!) with tales of great explorers, fairytales filled with lessons for life, or stories he simply invented as he went along. Like most people, Clare’s life has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows; stories she now shares generously in her speaking. One of the lasting highs was meeting “Jason from Maroochydore” at a music festival in London — which is how she ended up Down Under more than 20 years ago. When it comes to ageing fearlessly, Clare is in complete and blissful denial about the number of laps around the sun versus how young she feels inside – thoughts and opinions on which she’s happy to share at Storyroom Global. Clare firmly believes that life becomes richer, braver and far more entertaining as the years go by. When not getting frustrated about how long it takes to scroll to find her date of birth, you’ll find Clare running BrainSmart People Development, working with leaders across Australia and internationally, helping them to uncover and share the stories that inspire, connect and bring meaning to their message.

Christine Greenough

Story Title - Ageing Fearlessly

An accredited professional Storyteller for over 50 years, Christine has told to children in schools, libraries and at International festivals around Australia and Asia and the US. She co-founded the storytelling company “The Talespinners” with her storytelling partner Sue Alvarez. They devised tandem stories for both children and adults. The company ran from 1997 to 2016. Now telling solo, she is in demand to tell around the storytelling circuit such as Stories that Stir, Generation Women This is Totally F…cked. Christine has also devised and performed her One Woman Show at the Sydney Fringe. She is thrilled to be back again telling at the Storyroom Global.

Because Everyone has a story! 

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